ie. Ach, man, but yon creature would scunder
you.

KATE. Aye.

BROWN. Ach! Cracking jokes and laughing that hearty at them, and I'm
danged if a bat with one eye shut could make out what he was laughing
at. (_Listening._) Here they are. I hear the wheels coming up the
loaning. I'll have to go and put up the horse for them I suppose. (_He
goes out by yard door._)

KATE. I wonder if the master seen them coming. (_She rapidly clears
the table and then goes over to door into room._) I better tell him.
(_She knocks at the door._)

JOHN (_without_). Aye. (_He comes and opens the door, dressed in his
best suit of clothes._) What's the matter?

KATE. They're just come, sir.

JOHN (_excitedly_). Are they? (_Comes into kitchen._) Is my tie right,
Kate? And my clothes--is there any dirt on the back of them?

KATE (_inspecting him critically_). You'll do grand. I never seen you
looking better.

JOHN. Where's Mary? Why isn't she here?

KATE. She went out about something. She'll be back in a minute.

JOHN. Right enough, it would do her all the good in the world to have
a sensible woman looking after her. She just gets her own way a deal
too much in this house. (_He goes to window and looks out._) Aye. Here
they are! Tell Daniel to hurry. (KATE _goes off by door to rooms._)
Sarah's looking bravely. Man, that woman could save me thirty, aye
forty, pounds a year if she was here. (_Suddenly._) Ach! Is Daniel
never ready yet? (_Calls._) Daniel! (_Louder._) Daniel!

DANIEL (_without_). Aye.

JOHN. Hurry, man. They've come. (JOHN _goes to yard door and goes
out._)

DANIEL (_in an exasperated voice_). Ach!

(JOHN _comes in followed by_ ANDREW MCMINN, _an elderly non-descript
sort of man, followed by_ SARAH, _a sour faced spinster of uncertain
age. In the rear is_ DONAL MACKENZIE. _He is wearing a tourist costume
of Norfolk jacket and knickers, and is a keen faced, hard, angular
looking personage._)

JOHN. Yous are all welcome. Every one of you. You Andy and Sarah, and
Mr. Mackenzie. The Scotch is aye welcome, Mr. Mackenzie.

MACKENZIE. Aye. That's what I said the last time I was in Ballyannis,
and was verra thirsty, and went into a beer-shop to get a dram--Black
and White it was. Verra guid. (_He laughs loudly at his own joke._)

SARAH. We brought Mr. Mackenzie along with us to see your brother,
John. You see he's an engineer and knows a good deal about machinery
and plans and things.

MACKENZIE. Aye. There's not much